Alabama Music Teachers Association
Affiliated with Music Teachers National Association

State Conference

72nd Annual AMTA Conference

 
Schedule
June 6-8, 2024 (Thursday - Saturday)

Place
Mason Hall, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL
 
Member’s Banquet
Thursday, June 6th, 2024 @ 6:00pm in Merrill Hall Atrium
 
Official Hotel
Hampton Inn, Jacksonville, AL
1041 JD L Drive Jacksonville, Alabama 36265
 
Room Rate: $119 (This discounted rate is available until May 1, 2024)
Check in 4:00pm & Check out 12:00pm   
Calls must let the Service Desk Attendant know that you are with the 
2024 AMTA State Conference group in order to receive the discounted rate. 
(Phone: 256–782–0330)
 
Direct hotel reservation link 

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Guest Artist, Artina McCain

Artisan McCain
 
Hailed by the New York Times as a "virtuoso pianist" McCain, has a built a formidable career as a performer, educator and speaker. As a recitalist, her credits include performances at Wigmore Hall and Barbican Centre in London, Weill Hall at Carnegie and Merkin Hall in New York City and more. Other highlights include guest appearances with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra. In 2022, she was the mistress of ceremony for the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Dedicated to promoting the works of Black and other underrepresented composers, McCain curates Underrepresented Composers Concerts for multiple arts organizations. She is an American Prize winner for her solo piano recordings of these works and won a Gold Global Music Award for her recent album project Heritage. In 2021, Hal Leonard published her transcriptions of Twenty-Four Traditional African American Folk Songs.  

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Dennis Alexander, Guest Clinician

Dennis Alexander

His over 450 publications and recordings have earned him an international reputation as one of the world’s most prolific and popular composers of educational piano music for students at all levels.  Professor Alexander taught applied piano and piano pedagogy at the University of Montana, Missoula, California State Fullerton and California State Northridge. He currently lives in Albuquerque, NM where he maintains a studio of adult students and continues to present workshops for local, state, and national organizations.  In August of 2015, he was awarded a “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy in recognition of his extraordinary service to the music teaching profession and in 2020 was awarded the prestigious MTNA/Frances Clark Pedagogy Award for his two collections of “Nocturnes for Piano.” Mr. Alexander was invited to conduct the intermediate master class at the MTNA National Conference in Reno, NV in 2023. 

In addition to the sessions, recital, and master classes by the guest artist and clinician, we are also looking forward to having recitals, presentations, and poster sessions offered by our own AMTA members. If you would like to share your recent research or presentation, please contact Rachel Park by email, kpark@jsu.edu. The call for the proposal will be announced in early Spring. 

Here's some brief information about two pedagogical sessions of Dennis Alexander for the upcoming AMTA conference. 

"Teaching the Romantics to Young Pianists" (90 minutes)  

Students tend to love romantic style repertoire, but many of them have a difficult time achieving the necessary musical elements that create a convincing and artistic performance. This session explores techniques for solving musical, technical, and choreography issues inherent in romantic repertoire for late elementary through intermediate level students.

"The Joy of Teaching Adult Students". (90 minutes) 

Dennis Alexander has taught every level of students over his long career as a pedagogue and composer. Today, he only works with adult students at all levels, and these students range from beginners through advanced levels. This session will give teachers all kinds of ideas on how to motivate, inspire, and keep those adults coming back for lessons week after week. Favorite repertoire collections, technology aids, sight-reading materials and psychological approaches for working with adults will make this session a real favorite for many teachers.

He will also offer the Alfred Music showcase presentation (60-90 minutes). 

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2024 AMTA Annual State Conference 

We are now accepting the submission for the members' presentation for the upcoming our annual state conference. The due date for submission is March 31, 2024. Please click the link below to submit your proposal. For further questions, please contact Rachel Park at

kpark@jsu.edu

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Members' Presentation Proposal Submission Link